Welcome To Paradise
by Avada Cait-davra
Summary: Fred and George are in love, and no one knows. But what will happen when someone finds out? Better than it sounds, I swear it. M for twincest. Nothing too explicit. RR! Please?
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Fred and George fic. My first Harry Potter one in a while. I hope it's enjoyable. It contains twincest though, so be warned. I don't want you to flame me just to tell me you don't enjoy said pairing. So. Yeah. :D

Disclaimer: I am not now, nor have I ever been J.K. Rowling. Therefore, I do not own Harry Potter.

**Welcome to Paradise**

Fred and George had always been close. Anyone could see that much. One was hardly ever seen without the other, and when they were seen together mischief always followed. It was an obvious statement to say that Fred love George, and the other way around. Some people thought the love they shared for each other was a bit…unconventional for two brothers, but played it off that it was because they were twins. Twins shared something deeper than just brothers, especially identical ones. These people had no idea just how intimate the love the two brothers shared was, they had no idea that there was more than met the eye. Much, much more. And that was how the two of them liked it. Whenever someone asked why they were so close, or hinted that they thought it was out of the ordinary, George would snort and Fred would answer: "Oh, yes, well, wouldn't you want to date someone who knows you better than yourself?" and they would both fall into fits of hysterics. Being the jokesters that they were, no one would think that out of the ordinary. They would think it was their way of playing it off, and be sent on their way, satisfied. The boys would then meet eyes, giggle softly at the person's inability to tell they were telling the truth, and entwine their hands behind each other's backs.

No one ever suspected them, or if they did they kept it quiet and to themselves, and the duo were thankful for that. They knew their love was real, but also knew that what they were was wrong. You weren't supposed to love someone like that who was in your family, you weren't supposed to snog your own brother, you just weren't. But Fred and George were no strangers to doing things you weren't supposed to do, that didn't bother them. It didn't bother them what people would think either. People in general. They did care about what their family would think. They couldn't bear to imagine the looks of hatred and disgust, the whispers behind their backs, the looks on their parents' and siblings' faces. What would Bill say? What would _Percy_ say? And as for their mother…they didn't even want to _think _about that.

But none of this was on either twin's mind as they walked through the maze of the deserted Hogwarts halls, pinkies locked, hands swinging between them. Fred had the Marauder's Map open in front of him, surveying the school's traffic, George idly holding his wand in his other hand.

"Right about here should be good." Fred said as he stopped walking. George peeked over his brother's shoulder to gander at the map. There were no foot prints approaching this hall, or any of the others close to it.

"Are you sure? What if someone…"

"Oh come on, Georgie! Don't get all apprehensive on me now! Have I ever steered you wrong?"

George looked at his brother with a look that read 'are you seriously asking me that?' "Yes. Remember when you told me I had to try out the new recipe for those puking pastilles because you didn't think they were going to work?"

"Yes, but that was funny, and you know it."

"Not for me." George folded his arms.

"Come on, Gred! Please!"

"I dunno, Forge." But George did know. He knew he wanted to put his hands all over the other boy. But God, he loved to make Fred beg. Fred whined, imitating an impatient five year old.

"I don't wanna wait all night!" Fred trailed his fingers along George's jaw bone and whispered in his ear. George shivered.

"Okay, okay." He turned his head, lips connecting with lips. Fred pushed him against the nearest wall, his back colliding hard, but George didn't care. Fred moved his hands into George's fiery red hair, always being the leader. George leaned his head up, allowing him to reach his brother better. He tasted sweet, like pumpkin juice and the cherry flavor of Bertie Bott's. All else was lost, the world melted away. There was no more Hogwarts. No more teachers, no more hallways, no more portraits gawking at their activities, no more secrets.

George's wand fell to the floor with a clatter at the same moment that the Marauder's map fluttered down from Fred's hand. Fred's hands were everywhere, warm all over George's cold torso. His hands were snaking up beneath Fred's shirt, one pulling on his tie, pulling him closer. Fred separated his mouth from George's moving to his neck, trailing his tongue along his prominent collar bone. George made a small noise of approval, his hands moving consistently over Fred's chest. His eyes were shut tight, his hands moving to clutch Fred's hair in his fists. Fred loosened George's tie and threw it to the ground, no real reason behind the action. His hand moved to the buttons on George's pants.

"No, no." George whispered, his breath hot against Fred's ear. "Not here. Not now."

"Yeah. Wasn't…wasn't thinking." Fred straightened up, embracing George tightly, encircling him in his arms. "You know I love you."

"I do. But I love hearing you say it." George bent his head and kissed Fred once more. "I love you back."

Fred leaned up, deepening the kiss again, neither boy noticing the burgundy footprints on the map that lay on the ground nearing their hallway. Neither of them noticed the name floating on underneath the footprints, either.

_Severus Snape._

His footsteps slid along the yellowed parchment gracefully, the same way George's tongue slid along Fred's bottom lip, the same way Fred's hands slid over George's back. The same way Snape's wand slowly slid out of his hand as he neared and slowly came to realize what he was seeing before him.

"If you boys would like to pause for a moment, I would like to have a word with you." Snape said, his words coldly cutting through the air and extinguishing the warmth the twins had previously been experiencing.

Fred was the first to look up, George scrambling to pick up the map and his wand without Snape seeing. "Shit."

"Very eloquently put, Mr. Weasley. Shit, indeed. Five points from Gryffindor for language."

"Uh, sorry." Fred said, slightly out of breath, his heart beating fast. He stole a look at George. His face has paled about three shades and his eyes were wider than Fred had ever seen them before.

"What are you gawking at, George? I'm the one who should be gawking. Care to explain what the two of you were just doing?" Snape demanded.

"Uhm. Well. We were just er.." George stammered, and swallowed hard.

"We were just, well. We were working on some of our illegal Skiving Snackboxes. A new one, a love candy. And well, um. George and I both ate one. And, um. They work!" Fred threw his hands up pathetically in an attempt to look triumphant. George nodded fervently.

"As believable as that sounds, this is one of your worst excuses, Fred Weasley. I do not believe you for a moment. Ten more points for lying. And fifteen from each of you for being out of your common room to engage in…whatever disgusting things you were planning on doing. I expect you will return to your quarters now. I will decide tomorrow what shall be done by way of punishment."

"But, professor! Isn't taking points enough?" George asked.

"Not hardly, Weasley. I suggest you stop arguing unless you want me to take more." Snape said. "And I will see what the headmaster has to say about such _activities_." he gestured flippantly to where they had been standing. "Back to your dormitories. Do not make me follow you there."

Fred and George immediately took off, stopping on the steps to the common room.

"He's going to tell Dumbeldore." George whispered. "Everyone's going to know, Fred."

"No they aren't. Snape doesn't have concrete evidence. We can convince Dumbeldore we're innocent. We've done it before." he kissed his brother on the cheek.

"This is different, though!"Fred sighed. "I know it is, George. I know it is."

The two walked through the portrait hole, pinkies hooked again. They climbed up the stairs to the dormitory and crawled into bed quietly. Everyone else was still asleep.

"Hey, George." Fred whispered.

"Yeah?"

"You know I love you. No matter what ends up happening."

"Yeah, I know." George answered. "Goodnight."

**A/N. **First chapter! Was it a success? Please let me know. I don't want to continue if no one likes this. And it will get better as it goes, I swear it. So press that little rectangular button down there and speak your mind!


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I am so happy to have gotten as many reviews as I did! I really wasn't expecting as many as I got, for the first chapter anyways. I'm super happy you all like this! XD So, I saw the new movie at midnight last night, and every time Fred and George came on me and my friend Heather would giggle like little girls and hit each other. Just thought I would let you all know that. :D On with the story!**

**Disclaimer:** Must I again say I don't own Harry Potter? Because nothing has changed since the last chapter.

Fred and George were nothing short of reluctant to go down to breakfast the next morning. They postponed it as long as they could, but decided it would look more suspicious should Snape come looking for them, and they weren't there.

"Fred, I don't want anyone to find out." George said quietly as they walked out of the common room.

"If I have anything to say about it, they aren't. Just leave it to me, George." Fred said, rubbing his hand over his brother's shoulder blades in a comforting gesture.

"This isn't like everything else, though! You can't just…pull another prank to offset the first one. This is serious."

"We don't know that yet. Snape could have told Dumbledore and he could have let Snape know he's a greasy git who was probably sleepwalking and imagining things. Snape is stubborn, but Dumbledore is ten times worse. Just don't worry yet, not till we know for sure. There's no point getting all worked up now." Fred said. "It's gonna be alright, George." He kissed his brother lightly on the cheek.

"I guess you're right. It's just hard not to worry over something like this. I mean, it's not just getting out of detention or something, you know?"

"I do, but we can't act like something's wrong, or else people will get suspicious." Fred opened the door to the Great Hall with a flourish, gesturing largely for his brother to go in before him. "Ladies first."

"Fred!" George said, playfully hitting his brother across the back of the head.

"That's the Georgie I love." he smiled smugly.

The two of them made their way down the aisle to their spot at the Gryffindor table. Ron was already there, knee deep in a plate of pancakes, Harry and Hermione eating thick slices of French toast. Fred and George sat on either side of Ron, shoving Harry and Hermione over to make room.

"Morning, Ronald." George said, ruffling his little brother's hair.

"C'mon, guys. I'm tryna eat." Ron said around a mouthful of sticky dough.

"That's evident." Fred said.

"What are you trying to do-?" George began.

"See if you can beat old Crabbe in an eating contest?" Fred finished, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the Slytherin table, where Crabbe's whole face was practically covered in syrup, and yet he continued shoveling more breakfast foods into his mouth. Harry and Hermione dissolved into a fight of laughter. Ron glared.

"Can't you guys ever just let me eat in peace?"Fred and George looked at each other for a moment. "Not likely." they chorused. Harry and Hermione laughed again.

"You guys are such a bloody help."

"Sorry, Ron." Harry snorted.

"They're right, though. You never stop eating. I don't understand how you aren't fat as…as…" Hermione trailed off.

"My uncle!" Harry finished, laughing fit started anew, Fred and George joining in. None of them noticed Professor Snape sidling over to their table.

"Sorry to interrupt your foolish laughter, but I need you two to follow me." All five of them looked up, Snape clutching the shoulders of Fred and George's robes.

"Mum's gonna kill you guys." Ron said to his pancakes.

"Oh, what have you two done now?" Hermione asked. The entirety of Gryffindor table was looking up at them.

Fred took a large over dramatic bow, faking grandeur. George fanned his hands out over his head, a routine they had perfected from getting dragged out of classrooms and the Great Hall countless times. "You have no idea." They said together, as usual.

"Stop your shenanigans. Come with me." Snape said, pulling them along. Once their backs were to the table, Fred and George exchanged a quiet look of desperation, unsure of what was going to befall them within the next few minutes.

Gryffindor wasn't the only house watching as the Weasley twins exited the Great Hall. Almost every other house was, all except Slytherin. Well, all except one Slytherin. Draco's blonde head had followed the scene as it unfolded and moved across the hall. He saw the look they had shared, and knew this wasn't just some prank. He knew it was something more. He knew it was something that he wanted to know before everyone else. He disentangled himself from the table and chairs and quietly exited the hall, and followed his head of house and his captives down the halls to the headmaster's office.

---------

Snape sat the two of them down in chairs opposite the headmaster's desk. His chair was turned, red velvet staring them both in the face. Snape crossed to stand to the side of the chair, behind the desk.

"You two are no strangers to those chairs, they remember you well. In fact, just the other day Fawkes was inquiring as to when you two would grace us with your presence again. He does enjoy your company so." Dumbledore turned around. "Lemon drop?" He asked, gesturing to the bowl of yellowish candies on his desk. Snape looked annoyed, yet bored.

"No thank you sir." The twins spoke in unison.

"It is good to see you again, Fred, George." Dumbledore paused, steepling his fingers. "Though I wish it were for the mere offense of turning a first year's hair purple." He laughed reflectively, as if recalling the exact incident. "I feel you two can sense the seriousness of this situation, as neither of you are sniggering or red in the face. Yet, anyways." Snape started drumming his fingers on the desktop, obviously getting impatient.

"Professor Snape has informed me that he saw you two out of your common room last night. When greeted with this information, I wondered what was so out of the ordinary about that. Are you boys ever where you are supposed to be? But when he told me what he saw you doing, I understood why I was notified." he paused again, looking each boy in the eye. "While normally things like this are none of my business, none of anyone else's business, Severus has urged me to talk to you two. I want you to tell me the truth." Dumbledore's eye twinkled oddly. "Were you or were not snogging in the east wing last night?"

George bit his lip and looked at Fred, who shrugged. "Might as well." He said under his breath. "Yes, we were." He said a little louder. "What of it?"

"What of it?" Snape bellowed, talking for the first time. "I'll tell you what of it-"

"Severus, please." Dumbledore raised a hand, shushing the potions master. "Thank you boys for being honest." he closed his eyes, and folded his hands, looking deep in thought.

"What are you gonna do to us?" George asked.

"What am I going to do to you?" Dumbledore laughed. "Oh, dear boy, I am not going to do anything." Snape looked like someone had caught the back of his robes on fire, livid and confused, like he could smell the smoke, but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. "Though I do not condone such actions, love is too powerful an emotion to suppress, and I see no reason to punish you for it." Fred and George both let out a breath. "Though, Severus has convinced me to give you detention for being out after hours." Dumbledore smiled.

"Separate detentions." Snape clarified, the fire spreading up his cloak, into his eyes.

"Good day, boys. I'm sure I'll see you again soon." Dumbledore said brightly. The twins walked out of the headmaster's office. They stopped at the door, looked Snape dead in the eye and clasped hands. They could hear Dumbledore laughing as the door slipped shut.

"That went much better than expected." George said.

"I know." Fred answered, kissing George's forehead. "I told you everything would be fine. No one's going to find out."

George smiled as they walked down the hall. Neither of them noticed one Draco Malfoy standing hidden behind a column in the hall. "That's what you freaks think."

A/N: Again, I want to thank all of you for reviewing, and I do hope you continue! But I have to say that I'm not entirely sure how regularly I'll be able to update. Hopefully at least once a week, but if it ever ends up being more than that, I haven't abandoned it, I swear!


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm back! It feels like so much longer than it has been, and this has been burning my mind and itching my fingertips to get this on the site! I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks, I want to thank you all for your reveiws oh so much! (:**

**Disclaimer:** I'm not even close to being cool enough to own Harry Potter.

Draco quickly, quietly followed the pair of identical boys down the hall, wanting to get the full story of what was going on with them. He thought he had a pretty good idea, but he wanted to get his facts straight, so he knew how to embellish them when he told his fellow Slytherins. He figured the twins would head straight to their common room after their encounter with the headmaster, but he was sorely mistaken. The twins took an alternate route leading them not to Gryffindor house, but to a deserted corridor. One would have thought the two would have learned their lesson, but did the twins ever really learn any kind of lesson?

As Draco watched, the twins touched their lips together, lightly at first; a brotherly kiss. Draco was dissappointed for half a moment, fearing that his story would have to be based on lies alone. He wanted there to be some truth behind his rumor. But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, the twins crossed the line, wrapping arms around each other, using their tongues to kiss, lips straying to each others necks. George let out a moan full of pure exstacy. It was then Draco decided to make his move. He jumped from behind the column he was hiding beside.

"Is this what you two were bloody doing to get in trouble with the headmaster?!" Draco yelled incredulously. Fred practically dropped George on the floor in his shock at seeing another person in the previously deserted corridor. George hastily tightened his tie and his cheeks grew almost as red as his hair. "That's bloody disgusting! You're gay with each other! You filthy muggle loving faggots!" He spat, Fred cringed.

"You can't talk to us like that, you slimy git!" he screamed and brandished his wand, pointing it directly into Draco's face.

"I can do whatever I bloody want to!" Draco took out his own wand, pointing it at George, who still held a shell-shocked look on his face. "_Diffindo!"_ he shouted and a jet of orange light shot out from the end of his wand, hitting George on the top of the left shoulder. He fell to the ground, clutching his arm as Draco ran down the hall. Fred followed after him, hurling hexes at the blonde boy along the way. Draco dodged them all, sidling out of the way each time.

"Everyone's going to know, Weasley. You're disgusting. I'm going to tell everyone. I'm going to make sure they all know." He whispered, spitting in Fred's face. With that, he ran down the stairs to the dungeon corridor, Fred staring after him not know what else to do. He stood there for a few minutes, until he heard someone call him from down the hall.

"Freddie..?" Fred turned to see George sitting up against the wall of the corridor, his eyes closed, his hand over his shoulder, his fingers slowly turning red.

"George!" Fred ran to his brother, feeling terrible that he left him bleeding and didn't bother to make sure he was alright. He knelt next to him, putting his hand on his uninjured shoulder. "Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.

"No, it bloody tickles." George said tersely. "Yes, Fred, it hurts!"

"No need to snap at me. _Episkey._" George moved his hand and let Fred heal his wound. "That's good as I can get it, George. We can go see Pomfrey if you want, we don't have to tell her what happened."

"No, I'm fine. It's fine. Let's just get upstairs before we get in trouble again." Fred helped George off the ground, and they walked back to the common room, hand in hand. "What did Draco say to you down there?"

"Oh, nothing. He didn't say anything. Just blathering on like a git. Don't worry about it." Fred said, moving his brother's hand to his mouth and kissing it, stealing a look back down the stairs Draco had disappeared down.

----

The Gryffindor common room was uncommonly quiet that morning, at least when Fred and George ascended the stairs. Fred bit his lip and tried to pay no mind to it, inquiring as to how his brother's shoulder was. They walked out of the common room, not noticing the strange looks they were recieving.

They sat down at their usual seats in the Great Hall, across from Harry and Hermione and next to Ron. When they sat, Ron visibly scooted down about three inches and George gave him a skeptical look.

"Come one, Ron. We were only kidding around yesterday. You can eat your breakfast in peace today." He said. Ron glared at them, and scooched down even more.

"Hey, what are you on about?" Fred asked, almost dreading the answer. Could Draco have worked that fast?

"Like you two don't know." Ron said, standing and leaving the table.

"What's his problem?" George asked the two across the table. They just looked at each other, Harry telling Hermione to tell the story with his eyes. Hermione bit her lip. Fred closed his eyes, grabbing George's hand convulsively under the table. George looked at his brother, confusion embedded deep in his eyes.

Hermione took a shaky breath. "Well, you see...Ron told us this morning...that he heard from Lavender...that she overheard some Slytherins talking in the hall...Draco said he saw you guys last night, um..." Hermione bit her lip again. "Snogging in the hallway. I told him not to believe her, not till he asked you, but does he ever listen to me?" Fred felt George tense up next to him. "It...it isn't true is it?" Hermione asked what she and Harry were both thinking.

Fred's mouth hung slightly open, he was biting on the inside of his lower lip. George stood up beside him, dropping his hand, and running out of the Hall.

"It is..." Harry said, incredulously. Fred huffed and stood, running after his brother.

"Where you going?"

"You and your boyfriend get in a fight?"

"Chase him. Weasley, chase him!"

Jeers flowed from the Slytherin table after Fred. He gritted his teeth and ignored them, caring more about George than anything at the moment.

Fred ran around the school, looking for his brother, his search leaving him fruitless. It wasn't until his fifth search of the dormitories that he thought to use the Marauder's Map. He picked it up and whispered that he was up to no good, and watched the ink flow into forms in front of his eyes. He found his brother's footprints, sitting still inside the boy's bathroom on the sixth floor. He was down there in barely five minutes, calling after his brother, his voice echoing off the tiles. He heard the sounds of a shower in the far end of the room, his brother's clothes laying out in front of the stall.

"Georgie...?" Fred called.

"Fred. I'm..." His words were punctured by a wet sniffle. "I'm in the shower."

"I can see that." Fred answered. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just...just leave me alone. I'll be upstairs soon." George said, he voice was muffled, sounded stuffy.

"Don't try to lie to me, Georgie." Fred said, beginning to take off his own clothes, and lay them next to his brother's. "I can tell you're crying."

"Am not." He answered quietly, a dejected sob escaping his lips.

"You really are a bad liar." Fred pulled back the curtain, stepping into the cool spray of the shower. George turned his back to his brother, facing the stone wall of the shower.

"I'm naked. Get out." George said, snuffling once again.

"I never thought I'd hear you say _that_. Besides, it's not like you have anything I don't." George could hear the smile in his brother's voice. How could he be joking around right now? Everyone knew. Everyone knewt their secret. He would never be able to show his face again in any of his classes. They'd be kicked off the Quidditch team, they'd be...

Fred neared George, putting his hands across his wet torso. The water was getting even colder now. George let out another sob, he couldn't hold his tears in any longer. "You promised me, Fred. You said no one was going to know."

"I know. They weren't. But, there's nothing we can do about it now. Everything's going to be okay."

George was crying fully now, tears intermingling with the water from the shower. "How can you say that? Nothing is going to be okay. Everybody-" his voice broke. "_knows._"

"I can say that, because it is. Just because people know doesn't mean it's the end of the world, doesn't mean it's the end of _us._" He turned his brother around to face him. "Everything. Is. Going. To. Be. Fine."

George burried his face in Fred's wet shoulder. "Promise?" he asked miserably.

Fred took George's moist chin in his hand and lifted it so he was looking into his clear blue-green eyes. "I solemnly swear."

**A/N:** I think this was longer than I expected, but whatever. I hope you enjoyed it. Cuz i enjoyed writing it. (:


	4. Chapter 4

**Yay! The next chapter is here! I hope you're as happy as I am. I also hope you like this chapter, cuz I'm a little skeptical. Well, on with it!**

**Disclaimer: **Blah, blah, don't own anything, blah, blah, blah.

George and Fred were in the dormitory much later that night, George sitting on his four poster playing with the strings of the robe he was wearing. Fred was standing, having an intense discussion with another boy across the room. Lee Jordan stood before his open trunk, hands up holding a toothbrush in an expression of surrender.

"Look, Fred, I'm sorry, I just…I dunno." Lee stated.

"What don't you know?" Fred demanded.

"Oh, just leave it alone, Fred." George mumbled.

"No! This is our best friend. I can't just have him leave us without a proper explanation." Fred said to his twin, George shook his head.

"Yeah, but I recognize a lost cause when I see one." George said under his breath. Fred ignored him, turning back to Lee.

"Come on, Lee." Fred said quietly, looking deeply into his best friend's eyes. "This can't be the end."

"I just…" Lee groaned. "It's just that…"

"We are the same people you've been friends with for the past five years. Nothing has changed."

"How can you say nothing has changed!" Lee retorted.

"Because it hasn't." George stood now, taking his brother's side in the discussion. "Just because you didn't know doesn't mean anything."

Lee shuddered visibly. "But…"

"But what Lee? What else is there to say?"

"I know you're the same people. It's just…I've gotta wrap my mind around this, you know?" Lee shook his head. "But you're right. I can't just stop talking to you two. You're my best friends. You know, in love or not. I should have come to expect the unexpected with you two." He reached out and ruffled the brothers' hair. They smiled.

"Good! I knew you'd come around." Fred said.

"Now if only the rest of the school would." George said.

"I'm sure they will. Just a matter of time." Lee said. The three of them climbed into their beds. "I just wish I had heard it from you." Lee whispered before he fell asleep.

---

Ever since Malfoy had outed them to the whole of Hogwarts, things had been different for the Weasley twins. They had to deal with the sneers, glares and stares that followed them down the crowded corridors. Snickers and whispered providing a newly found soundtrack to their daily routine. Sometimes Fred offered words back at them, sometimes in the form of simple hexes. Sometimes he grabbed George around the waist and blatantly kissed him in front of the crowd. But most times, he just pushed through the crowds ushering George in front of him, telling him not to listen, not to mind their words, that they were just jealous that they were off the market.

Day by day the jeers got worse and the pair of them began to wonder why no teachers intervened. It wasn't like the crowds were quiet about their insults. And the things they were yelling were far past "mudblood" on the list of things you weren't supposed to say. But they endured them, brushing off the harsh callous words. They just didn't understand, and wouldn't take the time to try.

Ron still wouldn't talk to them, he was taking every possible action to avoid them entirely. Ginny didn't talk to them much either, but when she did see them she was at civil. She told them she'd convinced Ron not to tell their mother. The twins were thankful for that, but they missed feeling like they belonged to their own family. They missed that warm cozy feeling of being a Weasley. Even though they had the trademark red hair, and wore their signature Weasley sweaters, they felt like outsiders to their own bloodline.

While their siblings wouldn't spare them a second glance, Harry and Hermione still talked to them almost as much as Lee. Harry had always been accepting, and Hermione believed everyone had a right to do what they pleased. If only she'd take some time from her S.P.E.W. campaign and start advocating that.

But by and by, the Weasley twins were coping. They knew this was probably, _hopefully_, as bad as things were going to get. And no matter what happened, as Fred had promised George millions of times, they would always have each other, no matter what happened involving anyone else. George swam in Fred's words. If it wasn't for him; his words, his hands, his mouth…well, George wasn't sure he would be able to take this alone. Whenever he was feeling like his life was at a dead end, whenever he was afraid he wasn't going to let himself see a new day, there were Fred's hands, sliding gently over his back. There was his tongue, not so gently finding his own. Fred wasn't going to let his brother slip through the cracks. He needed George as much as he needed him.

"Freddie." George said, throwing things into his trunk. "I don't wanna go home for Christmas. Can we just stay here?"

"I think that would arouse suspicions in our dear mother." Fred said, tossing a bundle of parchment into his trunk.

"I know. I just don't want to face them. It's going to be awkward. We both know it."

"I know, but we have to just play it off, or else we'll be subject to one of those torturous 'family talks', and you know how painful those are." Fred answered.

"Yeah." George said quietly, staring intently at a pair of socks he was shifting around in his hands. "This sucks. I want things back how they were."

"Why? Then I couldn't do this in public without worrying about who might see." Fred said, and wrapped his arms around George's neck, planting his lips against his brother's. He sucked on his bottom lip, nibbling and biting down a bit harder than was necessary. George moaned, and lashed back, clamping his mouth around Fred's tongue. The socks fell to the floor, forgotten. They rolled under a bed, trying to get out of the way, feeling awkward, not wanting to intrude in the moment of intimacy being shared, not wanting be a third wheel. Fred's hungry lips moved toward George's neck. George placed his hands on Fred's shoulders, curving in against the gesture. Fred finished and laid his head against George's shoulder. "See? I love being able to just take you and do what I want, whenever I want now."

"Not whatever you want. I don't think there would be anything left of me if you did _whatever_ you wanted." George smiled, kissing his brother lightly once more. "C'mon, we better get down there, or the train will leave without us."

---

Arthur Weasley was walking briskly down the hall in the Ministry of Magic. He needed his copy of the muggle newspaper to continue his assigned research on something the muggles called videogames. This particular paper was said to have a review of the best videogames of the year. The Minister would be proud of him, if he got his research done right.

As he was walking back to his office, he heard the snatch of a conversation that one Lucius Malfoy was having with another person, whose face was hidden in the shadow of the hallway. Normally, he would have walked on and not paid any mind to the shallow musings of this pompous man, but he heard the names of his twin sons pass through his mouth.

"..hear of the Weasley twins? Fred and George?" Lucius whispered, casting a sideways glance along the hall.

"No, I haven't. Why? What's going on with them?" the other person asked interestedly.

"Well, my boy found them engaging in appalling sexual activities outside in the halls of Hogwarts."

"No!" the person said, shocked. "With each other!"

"Yes with each other, you stupid man. Why else would I be telling you?" Lucius said. "Anyhow, my Draco told the whole school and has practically everyone turned against them."

"Good, that muggle-loving family needed to be taken down a peg. Glad to see they finally got theirs."

"Yes, it is." Lucius agreed. "I just can't wait until the parents find out. Imagine the look on that freak Arthur's face…" they both started laughing and Arthur backed away from the scene and into his office. He sat there, staring at the immobile pictures on the muggle newspaper for the rest of his shift, his mind mulling over what he had just heard about his sons. He didn't want to believe him, it was Lucius after all. Malfoys loved to gossip. But the thought was still nagging at the back of his brain the entire way home, and even as he walked through the door and Molly reminded him that their children were on their way home from Hogwarts for the holidays.

"Are you alright, Arthur?" she asked him, noting her husband's distracted facial expression.

"You'll never guess what I heard at work today, Molly."

**Oh, cliffy! Kinda. Aha. I hope you enjoyed this. I know its not the most exciting chapter, but I was just trying to work through some writer's block I was having, and I think that I may have done it. But only trying the next chapter will tell. As always, reviews are so appreciated! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't have much to say this time. So on with the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Harry Potter I would not waste my life on this crappy fic. (:

There was a clatter from outside the Burrow, followed by the distinct voices of four Weasley children, bickering over something, as was expected from them.

"It will have to wait, Arthur, dear. Our kids are back from the Express." Molly said, kissing her husband on the forehead before walking to the front door to greet her children with open arms. "Ron! Ginny! Fred! George!" she listed her children's names, hugging each of them in turn. "Are you happy to be on holiday?" She asked them.

"You bloody bet we are." Fred said. Ron edged his way away from the pair of twins and Ginny huffed, rolling her eyes exasperatedly.

"What did you two do to Ron now?" Molly asked, watching her youngest boy slip inside past her. Fred half opened his mouth, but Ginny cut him off.

"They just had a bit of an argument on the train, and you know how Ron is, he'll be over it by the morning." she said, stealing a meaningful glance at her brothers before slipping inside herself. The twins and their mother stood awkwardly outside the front door for a few moments more, George playing with the ends of his fiery hair.

"Well! Let's get inside, shall we?" Molly said casually, gesturing for her boys to go in before her. They did, and after saying hello to their father immediately went upstairs.

"I don't want to be here." George declared to their bedroom.

"I know. I don't either. But it's only for a few days. Then we can go back to Hogwarts and no one will ever find out." Fred said.

"Yeah, till the summer. We can't just keep hiding, Fred. I can't keep on like this forever…" His words caught in his throat, and Fred caught his lips before they could spill more words. George pushed away from Fred, pushing him off his mouth. "No. Not here, Fred. Please."

Fred looked up at his brother, a sad expression in his gaze. "Nothing is going to happen to us, Gred. Nothing at all. I promise you we will be fine."

"So you keep saying, Forge. I'm just…losing hope fast. Ron can't keep his mouth shut forever."

Fred sighed. "I know. But until then, we just have to hang on." And he embraced his brother in a bone crushing, albeit comforting hug.

---

Arthur Weasley was walking down the hallway outside of Fred and George's room. He wasn't trying to eavesdrop, really, he wasn't. But intentional or not he over heard what was happening inside their room, and knew in an instant that what he'd heard Malfoy saying was true. He didn't want it to be, he wanted it to just be a stupid rumor that the man was trying to make catch on. He knew that his sons were in love, but talking to them about it wasn't even the first thought in his mind. Keeping it from Molly was. He knew he couldn't let her know that her boys were…Arthur didn't even know how to put a name to what they were doing, but knew Molly would fly off the handle if she found out. Arthur sighed and continued his walk down the hall. He met Molly in their bedroom, already nestled into the sheets, a book propped open on her lap. He frowned slightly, and removed his tie and began to unbutton his shirt.

"What was it you wanted to tell me earlier, love?" she asked sweetly.

"Oh, what? I really don't remember in the slightest. Must not have been that important." Arthur said, wishing he had more experience in the lying department.

"I'm sure you'll remember it in the morning." Molly stated. "Did you notice something strange about Fred and George?" Arthur, his back turned to her grimaced slightly.

"No, what do you mean?"

"I mean they're quieter. They haven't caused any mischief or hassle yet, and they've been here for what, five hours?"

"I think that means they're planning something huge. We'd all better watch our backs." Arthur said decisively, crawling into bed and dousing the lights with a swift peck on his wife's cheek.

Arthur's attempts at stopping his wife's discovery went however unhelpful. He came home from work on the day before Christmas eve to hear his wife screaming at what only could have been their twins.

---

"Freddie, I already told you, I don't wanna do this here. I'll owe you double when we get back to Hogwarts, okay? Please!" George pleaded to his brother, whose lips were stuck to the hollow of his neck. Though enjoying every moment, he didn't want to risk someone walking in on them, or worse, their mother walking in on them. But as he voiced these thoughts, Fred lifted his lips a little, but not so much that George couldn't feel the ghosts of his words whispering against his skin.

"No one's in the house right now. Mum and everyone went to Diagon Alley. Dad's at work. They won't be home for another hour, at least."

"I just don't feel right. I can't enjoy you here."

"Come on, just this one time. I can't stand not doing this for a whole nother week, Georgie!"

George sighed. "Fine. But just-"

Suddenly the front door opened. Chatter was heard before becoming silenced harshly as three pairs of eyes took in the scene that unfurled before them. "Ginny, Ron, upstairs. Now!" Fred and George heard their mother yell. George closed his eyes tightly, biting hard on the inside of his lip.

"It's okay, Georgie. Whatever happens. You know I love you." Fred whispered before turning to face his mother.

"What in the name of Merlin are you two doing?!" Molly yelled.

"Exactly what it looked like." Fred didn't see the point in beating around the bush, she would get it out of them eventually. He firmly grasped George's hand in his own, George clutching back with an almost bone crushing strength.

"Why were you--? No, no. Not my boys, no." Molly was spitting words, fury causing them to raise octaves with each syllable. "You're both a disgrace, each of you! Why couldn't you have been like Bill! Like Charlie! Like Percy! Normal boys, with good lives ahead of them. No, you have to be a couple of jokesters with no future, and now on top of all of that, you have to be…to be…"

Molly trailed off, fuming, pacing around the living room and stopping in front of their infamous clock. George held his brother's hand so tightly, Fred's fingers were going numb, and still he held back. A tear slid gently from the corner of George's eye and he sniffled a bit, trying to hold back his tears, wanting to stay strong through this.

"You two are no sons of mine." Mrs. Weasley said, a venomous tone to her voice. She reached up, and plucked the hands off the clock that read _Fred Weasley _and _George Weasley_. She handed one to each boy, respectively. "I…I can't let you…I can't let you do this to me. To our family." She said, quieter now.

Fred swallowed hard and looked at George. His eyes were closed and Fred could feel him trembling, broken clock hand hanging dejectedly in his hand.

"Neither of you are going back to Hogwarts." Molly stated. "And both of you aren't staying here." She reached up into her supply of floo powder. "George come here."

George's eyes flew open, and he clutched on Fred's hand even harder. "Listen to me." Fred spoke. "Do what she says. I'll be fine. You'll be fine. I love you." He kissed his brother's lips lightly, slipping his clock hand into George's hand, and taking his into his own. "Where are you taking him?" Fred asked loudly, as Molly wrenched her son across the room, George sobbing openly now. Molly didn't answer, responding by throwing a handful of the glittering powder into the fire and staring at it as it glowed green and devoured her son.

"I love you, too, Freddie." George's sob echoed through the kitchen as Fred glared at his mother and Arthur walked through the doorway. Fred stormed up the stairs, thankful for the distraction to get away.

"Happy fucking Christmas." He yelled down to his parents before locking himself in his room.

**Phew, that was a lot to write. Tell me what you think, as always. I do love a review. :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is mostly going to be George-centric, just so you know. xD I also feel like I should thank starraiser for giving me the idea to split the twins up, by telling me not to. C: On with this!**

**Disclaimer: **Old news, I still don't own Harry Potter.

George fell out of a fire place. He didn't know where he was, his eyes were streaming- from his tears and the fact he didn't have a chance to close his eyes before being thrust into the roaring fire. He coughed and spluttered, having also breathed in a large quantity of ash while screaming for his brother. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, straightening up and looking around him. He recognized the dining room of the Leaky Cauldron. There was a gaggle of wizards sitting at the table, peering at them from over their mugs of coffee at his less than graceful enterance. George straightened his robes and walked from the fire place to the door. Before he could get out, Tom, the innkeeper stopped him.

"Oy, aren't you gonna stay here or somethin'? Ya can't very well just blast in here and not even stay." He called to the boy.

"Oh." George said, taken aback and trying to find his voice. "I..I'm sorry. I...didn't exactly mean to come here, it wasn't my idea and well...I haven't really got much money with me." He fumbled over his words, his wound still fresh. Of course it hadn't been his idea to come here, and being kicked out without a second's notice had meant he barely had anything except the robes on his back and the wand in his pocket.

"Fine, fine. Tom grumbled something under his breath that sounded like "Using my fire place with no regaurds to who he's disturbing, the nerve..." as he walked back to his desk.

George sighed and pushed the door open. He looked up and down the street. The street lamps were creating a yellowish glare on the cobbles of the road. He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair, then thrusted them into his pockets. In his left pocket was his wand, in his left he felt two galleons and something else, something unfamiliar. He took it out of his pocket, looking at a small silver instrument. It glinted in the glow of the lamps and George looked at it closer. His brother was smirking up at him, blinking every so often. He ran his fingers over the engraving. _Fred Weasley. _A tear escaped George's newly dried eyes, and Fred stared benignly up at him.

What was he going to do now? He had no where to go, no one to talk to, no one to help him. He was utterly alone, and wasn't prepared for it in the least. He had never really been alone in his life. Fred had always been by his side. _Always. _Now he didn't have his brother, didn't have his mother, didn't have anyone. A horrible feeling started to erupt in his stomach. He couldn't just sit there all night. It was getting cold. Maybe he could find somewhere to hide out until he had to go back to Hogwarts. Yes, that was what he would do. But where would he hide out? Maybe he could get to Lee's house somehow...

The door opened loudly from behidnd him, disrupting his train of thought. Tom the innkeeper was behind him again, holding out a red envelope as though it was diseased. "This just came outta the fire for ya. Looks pretty urgent, I'd say." He threw the envelope into George's hands as soon as it began to smoke. It unfurled and a loud voice filled the alley he was standing in. Tom stared, in disbelieving awe at the words issuing from the peice of parchment.

"GEORGE WEASLEY!" Molly's voice rebounded angrily off the fronts of the buildings. "I AM UTTERLY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU AND YOUR BROTHER'S CONDUCT! MORE THAN I EVER HAVE BEEN IN MY LIFE. AS PUNISHMENT, NEITHER YOU OR YOUR BROTHER WILL BE RETURNING TO HOGWARTS. I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN TO PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE ABOUT IT, AND THOUGH HE DOES NOT AGREE WITH ME, HE HAS ERASED YOUR FILES. I CAN'T HAVE YOU DISGRACE THE WEASLEY NAME ANY MORE WITH YOU OUT OF MY SIGHT. YOUR BROTHER WILL BE STAYING HERE, YOU MAY FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GO ON YOUR OWN- YOU ARE NO LONGER MY RESPONSIBILITY." The howler dissipated and its fragments fell to the ground. George felt Tom's eyes on his back and felt himself beginning to tremble.

"Blimey, you musta done it this time." He said before returning to the silent inside of his inn.

George looked up at the stars and wondered what his mother was doing to Fred. One Howler was nothing compared to the constant tirade his brother must have been facing. The hopelessness of his situation was setting in and crumbling down around his shoulders. He fell to his knees on the concrete. A light snow was beginning to fall. He burried his face in his hands, then let them fall carelessly in front of him, his wand falling out of his right hand and making a hollow sound against the road. He was stranded.

A crack made George look up in surprise to see a triple decker bus standing in front of him. A small squashy boy he recognized as Stan Shunpike stepped down the bus's stairs and peered at him down his nose.

" 'Chu doin' on the ground?" George stood, hastily grabbing his wand.

"Nothing." He answered awkwardly.

"Well, whatever. You gettin' in or aren' ya?" Stan asked, looking past George. "You ain't got no bags?"

"No, no bags. But, yes. I'll get in." George said queitly, putting one of his Galleons in Stan's outstretched hand. Once inside the bus, Stan asked George where he wanted to go. George pondered this for a moment. He still hadn't considered where he was going to go. He would have gone to Lee's but he couldn't for the life of him remember what the name of his street was. He didn't want to end up somewhere he didn't know, and be stranded all over again. Taking a deep breath, he told Stan he wanted to be dropped off at Grimmauld Place.

"Why d'ya wanna go there? That's a Muggle street, that is." Stand said. "Whatever ya want though. Hey, Earn, y'hear? Grimmauld Place, on the double." The driver grunted in response, and George felt the bus speed up. They rode in silence for a while, and even though George was trying to look out the window and not draw attention to himself, he felt Stan looking at him. Finally he spoke. "Ain't you one of them Wesley's or something?"

"_Weas_leys." George corrected. "And yeah, I guess." _I used to be. _he thought.

"Didn't there useta be another one a' ya?" Stan asked. "A twin or somethin'?"

George tensed. "Yeah." was all he could manage.

"Well, where is 'e? Ya leave him at home?"

"Yeah, he's home." George said, rubbing his temple.

"Well, why? I thought you lot were inseparable or something?"

"I don't want to talk about it." George said through gritted teeth. He really didn't want to start crying again, not in front of Stan, but if the conversation kept going on like this he hardly stood a chance of keeping his eyes dry. "Please."

"Alright, fine." Stan said. "Was just wonderin'. Your stop's here anyhow."

George thanked both Stan and the driver and descended the stairs of the bus. It was even colder than before outside, and snow was steadily falling now. He stood and looked at the row of unappealing apartments. He looked at the spot between eleven and thirteen and realised he didn't know how to get inside. His father had done it for him in the beginning of the year, and not told any of his children how to get in themselves. George had a fleeting hope that it worked like the room of requirement and walked back and forth past it three times, dwelling on how much he needed somwhere to go. To his displeasure, the houses didn't move, but stayed quite still. He kicked the ground angrily and started to feel around the outside walls of the houses. He found nothing. He groaned and pulled his cloak tighter around him. It was really getting cold. He sat on the ground, up against the trunk of a small tree directly across from where he knew number twelve was hidden. Someone would have to come out eventually, right? George pulled up the hood of his cloak and huddled into himself, trying in vain to retain some warmth. He sat and stared at the plain row of apartments for he didn't know how long.

A warm hand was on his shoulder, shaking it slightly. Someone was calling his name, softly, quietly. He stirred. He didn't know he'd fallen asleep. He looked up to see the face of Remus Lupin looking at him, eyebrows knitted in concern. He shook his head and snowflakes fell from it.

"Professor Lupin?" He asked.

"George, Merlin, George. What the bloody hell are you doing out here?" Lupin asked.

George felt himself smile. His chapped lips cracked as they spread in a grin. "Trying to get inside. I didn't know how." Remus sighed.

"Why were you trying to get in anyways? It's Christmas Eve. Why aren't you at the Burrow?" He asked, helping George to his feet and wrapping his own cloak around the boy's shivering shoulders.

"It's...It's kind of a long story." George said quietly.

"Alright." Remus said, sensing the tension in his words. "Let's get inside, then." And the pair of them entered number twelve Grimmauld Place, leaving the snowy outside behind them.


	7. Chapter 7

**I have to tell you all that I may not be able to update next week, as I am a band geek and have band camp. I tried to write two this week, but that didn't really work out. Hopefully I'll have another chapter for you all sooner than that, but if not, I'm sorry. Okay, on with this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: **Writing these things bother me almost as much as the fact that I will never own Harry Potter.

"Frederick Joseph Weasley!" Molly yelled up the stairs to her son. " Get back down here right now!"

"You can't tell me what to do, Mum. You might be able to banish George, but if you think I'm going to listen to a bloody word you say, you've got another thing coming!" Fred shot back. He heard Molly start to say something else, but be cut off by Arthur. He stormed up the stairs on the way to his room. Before he could reach the safe haven of his bed, Ginny cut him off.

"What's happened?" She asked, eyes wide.

"Mum found out. She…she caught us. Merlin, I'm so fucking stupid. George said we shouldn't…I should have listened. This is all my fault!" Fred said, punching the wall he was now leaning his arms against, burying his face in them. His voice dripped in anguish as he spoke.

"What did she do?" Ginny said, putting a hand tentatively on her brother's shoulder. She wanted to make him feel better, make everything okay again. He looked like he was about to cry. She had never seen Fred cry, and that scared her a little.

"She sent George away." Fred said in a broken voice, and his shoulders shook. Ginny cringed.

"Where?" She whispered.

"I dunno, Ginny, I dunno!" Fred sobbed, turning to look at her, his eyes as wide as hers and red. He clutched at his hair. "I let him down, I told him everything would be fine. I told him I would make sure it was, and look what I've done. He's somewhere out lost in the cold, alone. Without me. This is all my fault."

Ginny launched herself forward and seized Fred around the waist. "No, no it's not your fault, and I know George doesn't think that. Mum'll get over it and feel bad eventually. I'm sure she didn't send George to someplace too awful. It'll…it'll all be okay. You'll see."

"I don't know, Gin." Fred said, rubbing her back, thankful for the effort in trying to console him. At least he knew everyone in his family didn't hate him.

As soon as the thought crossed Fred's mind, a door in the hallway opened, and another red haired boy came out. "My God, Fred!" Ron said nastily, snatching Ginny out of his embrace. "What're you trying to do now, get Ginny to do it with you?"

"What?" Fred spat.

"Ron, no. Give it a rest, come on!" Ginny said to him, kicking at him as he pulled her away. "Sorry, Fred!" She yelled as he dragged her into her room.

"You're disgusting." Ron said venomously.

"Could say the same about you. When's the last time you showered? First year?" Fred said quietly, trying weakly to lighten the situation.

"Shut up, you fag. I don't need to listen to you make fun of me. Not anymore, not now that you aren't the infamous and flawless Fred and George that no one can find anything wrong with now. Now you're just homos, the both of you." Ron said before slamming the door to his room in Fred's face.

Fred moaned quietly as he walked the rest of the way to what used to be his and George's room. Once inside, he cast a locking charm on the door and sat down on the floor in the middle of the room, cross legged. What was he going to do? He needed to find George, but he couldn't think of any way to accomplish that. He didn't have an owl of his own, and there was no way anyone in his family was going to let him use theirs. He vaguely wondered when Harry would be coming for the holidays. He always did, but this year he was going to Hermione's for the fist few days of break. Fred cursed, Harry would have let him use Hedwig. He couldn't let George just wander around out there. There were dark wizards out there. _Voldemort _was out there for God's sake. He shivered at the thought of his brother getting attacked by a Death Eater and bit the inside of his lip a little too hard. He let himself flop back against the cold wooden floor and stayed there, not caring how uncomfortable it was. He stared at the ceiling as though it held the answer to finding his brother until he fell asleep.

He awoke the next day to hear the racket of his family waking up and calling to each other along the stair case. His arms were wrapped around himself and he felt a pang as he realized he had dreamt of George. He stood, stretching and cracking his back from the awkward position he'd fallen asleep in. He walked downstairs to the smell of gingerbread cooking in the oven. It was Christmas Eve. He'd forgotten. It sure as hell didn't feel like Christmas. He walked into the kitchen, his eyes falling on the mistletoe over the doorframe with a sting. This would be his first Christmas without George. His nostrils filled with the decadent scent of gingerbread and he grimaced. Gingerbread was George's favorite. His mother froze from over the stove as her eyes took in the slightly disheveled appearance of one half of the set of her twins. Fred looked back with stony eyes.

"If you assume you're going to spend Christmas with your family, you seem to have forgotten that I no longer consider you a part of this family." Molly said coldly. Fred glared at her.

"Good, why would I want to be a part of this manky family?" Fred said, kicking open the refrigerator and taking a swig of orange juice straight from the carton.

"Kindly don't drink from the carton." She ordered him, in a tone most like that of Dolores Umbridge.

"You never had a problem with it before. What? Afraid I'll get some of my diseases on it?" Fred made a face and threw the carton to the floor, causing the juice to cascade everywhere.

"You will pick up that mess right now, Frederick."

"No, I don't think I will." He said, his anger bubbling over the surface. He reached out and knocked the tray of cooling gingerbread cookies onto the ground as well, not caring as his hand burned. He watched as the gingerbread men fell, taking a swim in the river of orange juice on his kitchen floor. He folded his arms and watched his mother gape at him.

"Right. Shouldn't leave things lying around on the floor like that, someone might slip." He said, nodding to the mess on the floor and leaving the kitchen.

Admittedly, knocking those things over wasn't that much of catastrophe, she could just clean it up with two flicks of her wand, but he thought he got his point across with it. He couldn't take the looks, the whispered conversations, he was on the receiving end of. At Hogwarts, the jeers were one thing, but at home they were completely different. Wasn't home supposed to be somewhere you could go to be safe and not fear what people thought of you? Wasn't family supposed to love you and support you no matter what? _Yeah, unless you're in love with your brother. _Fred thought bitterly. He was sitting in his room again, listening to his family celebrate the holiday without him. He sat on the edge of his bed, hands buried root deep in his hair, staring balefully at his brother's empty bed across the room. He wondered where his other half was, if he had found someone they knew, if he was warm and safe on Christmas Eve, and how it was his fault if he wasn't. Fred reached behind him and wrapped his blanket around his shoulders. He was shivering, even though his room wasn't cold. His teeth chattered and tears fell down his face, stinging like they were made of acid. He had never been without his brother for this long before, not ever. He felt selfish, letting himself break down like this, when for all he knew George was still out lost somewhere and just as alone as he was, if not more. At least Fred still had Ginny. He moaned, rubbing his palms against his face, scraping over his cheekbones and up to his eyelashes. His hands lingered on his forehead, covering his face as he leaned back onto his pillows and curled into a ball, the ratted comforter falling gently over his shoulders. Fred fell asleep to the conversation Ginny and Ron were having in the hallway, consisting of mostly Ron talking about the new broom he hoped to be getting for Christmas. He heard him ask Ginny what she wanted as their voices and footsteps faded up the stairs. _George. _He thought bitterly. _All I want for Christmas is him in my arms again. _His eyes slipped closed.

Fred awake much the same as he had the day before, cold and alone in his bedroom, though this time he was not on the floor. He sat in bed and listened for what could have been a few minutes, or a few hours. Screams of glee and laughter erupted intermittently from the living room and wafted up to where he lay. He heard Ron let out a yell and promptly say he was going outside to test it out. _He must have gotten his broom. _He heard Ginny give a squeal of excitement and vigorously thank her parents over and over. _And she must've gotten whatever she wanted. _He listened as his parents exchanged presents and thanked each other in turn. _Everyone got what they wanted. But me. Where's my Georgie? _He rolled over, covering his face in the musty smelling blanket. He stayed there until his stomach would no longer let him, screaming it's discomfort at him, stubbornly begging to be fed. His trek down the stairs was an agonizing one. He didn't want to face the people in the living room. He couldn't rightfully call them his family. Not anymore, anyway. He didn't speak to anyone in the room as he hastily grabbed some food and drink from the cupboards and retreated back into his room.

Fred spent the next few days in a very similar fashion to the first; staying in his room, coming out only when absolutely necessary, not talking to anyone (aside from the occasional conversation he had with Ginny), and setting off pranks and traps for anyone misfortunate enough to let their guard down. It was the least he could do, after all they were being so accommodating to their fourth oldest son. He spent his nights curled up under his blankets, the only comfort left in the old house. Sometimes he slept in his own bed, others in George's. When he could sleep he dreamt of his brother, and when he couldn't he sat up thinking feverishly about where he was or what he could be doing. After being in constant contact with someone for the past sixteen years of your life, even as small an amount of time as a little under a week may be seemed like an eternity.

While sitting up on the fourth night with out his companion, he heard his mother and father whispering about Harry and Hermione's scheduled arrival for the morning. He closed his eyes, content that he would finally have a few more semi-friendly faces around the house, and the fact that he could use Harry's owl. He dropped off to sleep, thoughts swirling serenely through his brain.

_I'll use Hedwig tomorrow. I'll tell her she has to find George, and she will. I know she will. And I'll tell him that I'm sorry. That this whole thing is my fault. That I broke my promise, and I love him, and I miss him, and I'm sorry. _

**Gah. That took me forever to write, I don't even know why it was so hard! But it was. Ick, I don't feel like it was very long, especially since I won't be updating next week, but this is all I've got for you. I'm really terribly sorry, and I hope you liked this chapter, though I really did not. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone! Again, I am so sorry for the delay. It's all band camp and writer's block's fault. But that's over now, so hah! I hope this chapter is going to make up for my absence. Also, I seem to have a lot of people who feel that I made Molly overreact. I just wanted to clear up the fact that I wanted her to overreact, if that makes sense. Ah, whatever. I'll stop rambling and start writing now.**

George walked into the front door of Grimmauld Place, Remus behind him, one hand on his back, ushering him over the threshold. They crept down the hall and into the kitchen, not disturbing the portrait of Mrs. Black. Remus pulled out a chair and George sat in it silently. Sirius stood at a counter, his back facing the pair of them, the water at the sink running in front of him.

"Rem, I thought you were off to get Harry?" Sirius asked, not turning around to face his company.

"I was." Remus answered, walking over to Sirius. "But we have a visitor already." He seized Sirius by the shoulders and turned him around, wet hands causing beads of water to drop and pool on the floor.

"George!" Sirius said, a warm smile breaking across his face. "Happy Christmas! What brings you here?"

"Well, um…" George started. He really wasn't sure how he was going to approach this situation. He didn't want two other people disgusted with him.

"We're not sure yet, George was going to tell me his story once we got in and warmed up." Remus offered. "I found him asleep outside under a tree."

"Oy, what were you doing there?" Sirius asked. "And where's your better half?" He smirked and George cringed. He wanted to cry all over again. Remus was bustling around the kitchen, filling a tea pot with water and getting a few mugs and tea leaves. He watched Remus for a few seconds in silence.

"Home." He finally answered quietly.

"What's he doing there? I thought you two never left each other's side."

"We don't." George was staring at the table, biting the inside of his lip and feeling it tremble a little. He really didn't want to start crying again. He felt both Remus and Sirius's eyes on him, but couldn't look up. He swallowed a few times, but his view of the deep cherry shade of the table was becoming blurred on the edges. He heard the scrape of a chair on the floor next to him and felt Remus sit down next to him and put a hand on his back comfortingly. George looked up, still biting down on his lip.

"Hey, George, it's okay." Remus said, concern knitting his forehead.

"No. No its not."

"Will you please tell us what happened?" Remus pried gently. George sighed.

"I'm scared to." He said so quietly it was almost inaudible. "I'm scared you'll be disgusted and kick me out too. And then I'll have no where to go."

"George." Sirius said. "I'm not going to kick you out of my house."

"I wouldn't let him." Remus said, smiling a dry grin at Sirius.

"You promise?" George said, looking skeptically at the two men.

"Yes." Sirius said.

"We swear." Remus finished.

George sighed, nodded, and took a deep breath. "Well. I guess I should start back in Hogwarts. No, maybe I should start before that. Uhm…" George faltered, biting on his lip again, wringing his hands. "I guess I just have to say it." He closed his eyes before spilling his darkest and not so well kept secret. He didn't want to see their reactions. "Fred and I. We…we're in love. And, I mean really in love. Not like, family love. More than that. So much more." The words were pouring now, George's eyes still closed, clear beads of liquid seeping from underneath his eyelids as he gained momentum. "And Snape caught us kissing in the hallway. But Dumbledore didn't care so it was okay. But then Draco saw and everyone at Hogwarts knew. And then we were home and everyone was gone. But then Mum came home too soon and saw us…and…" He paused here for a moment. He realized he was rambling, talking far too fast. But neither man was stopping him. "She took our hands off the clock. And kicked me out. And Fred is still home, at least I think. But Merlin I miss him. I'm going crazy and I…I don't know what to do anymore."

George took another deep breath and opened his eyes slowly, bracing himself for the worst. Remus was sitting with his eyes wide and one hand over his mouth, seemingly at a loss for word. Sirius looked as though he was ready to yell. George was afraid to find out what he was going to yell about.

"How could she do that to you!?" Sirius exclaimed. "Her own sons! Doesn't she realize what this is doing to you? I mean, sure, that might take a while to wrap her head around, but kick you out of your own house?!" Sirius was standing, pacing around the kitchen floor. George watched him wearily until Remus finally started talking.

"I really think she over reacted, George. I'm sorry she did that. I can understand her being unhappy, but this is just too extreme. She can't keep you from your brother like she is. It's just cruel. We're going to get Fred here for you."

"Have fun with that." George said, sitting back in his chair dejectedly. "She probably has him on house arrest. She's not even letting us go to back to Hogwarts, I doubt she'll let you take Fred if there's any possibility of him having any fun or, Merlin forbid, seeing me. It'll be impossible."

Sirius stopped pacing and looked up through a curtain of curly black bangs. "Impossible? That's never stopped us before, has it, Rem? In fact, that always makes it more fun." The pair of them smiled at each other and George looked at them, hoping they would be able to find a way to get his brother back in his arms.

---

That night, George couldn't sleep at all, despite the increased kindness of Sirius and Remus. He'd had a wonderful dinner and countless cups of tea as Remus had insisted they would make him feel better. He could hardly taste his dinner, this was the first meal he had ever eaten without the presence of Fred. It made his stomach hurt afterward. He was sitting in the stuffy bedroom he had shared with Fred before school had started that year. He was curled up against the wall with a blanket curled around him. There was an indent on the inside of his bottom lip where he had repeatedly chewed to try to keep himself from crying. He felt so weak. He was sure Fred wasn't sitting at home crying his eyes out over his absence. He was probably hatching some clever Fred plan to get out of the house. George tried to think of something, but came up blank. He couldn't think straight. His thoughts kept spiraling back to his brother, and how cold he was without him. How lonely the room felt, how lonely everything felt, with no one to echo his movements and words.

He felt sick without Fred beside him, and hated himself for it. He really was weak. It hadn't even been twenty four hours yet, and here he was, practically in shambles. All he needed was Fred. He didn't even care how. He just wanted him to be by his side tonight. And however unrealistic that was, it was all George could think about. Not the fact that he wasn't going back to Hogwarts, not the fact that his head was pounding from crying out all his tears, not the fact that it was Christmas Eve and he wasn't at home with his family. No, the only thing he could think about was being reunited with Fred.

He crawled up off the floor and got into the bed. The mattress squeaked laboriously under his weight. He fell asleep thinking about what Sirius had said about getting him Fred. He believed them. He had faith that they would bring him his brother for Christmas.

**I know this is kinda short, but this is all I have time for, and you're lucky I could even whip this up right now. I feel really weird writing like Christmas stuff in September. Just thought I'd tell you that. Whatever. Thanks for reading, and look forward to some hopeful twin reuniting in possibly the next chapter!!! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh my god~ I really am back! I am so sorry these updates are so few and far between, but you have to understand that I have marching band, and school, and they're both taking a lot out of me. It seems like when I'm not doing one of those two things, I'm sleeping. I know that's a terrible excuse, and I hope you'll find it within you to forgive me! **

**Disclaimer: **same old, same old. I'm still poor and not making any money off of this fanfic.

Something exploded in the downstairs region of the Weasley household. Someone shrieked and Fred snickered from his spot on the floor in his bedroom. His mother screamed his name, but he didn't move. He didn't see why if he technically wasn't part of their family anymore he had to listen to what Molly said. He looked over at the crate in the corner and silently mourned the fact that was the last of his Fillibuster Fireworks. He sighed and stood up, trying to find something else to cause havoc with. As he perused his room, his stomach growled at him almost angrily, and he growled right back.

"Shut up." He commanded quietly. "You reminding me that you're hungry isn't going to help anything. Might as well just stay quiet about it." His stomach didn't listen and gurgled at him once more. He sat on the foot of hid bed and moaned, clutching himself around the middle. It had been at least two days - _three? _- since he'd eaten last. Molly had decided since he was no longer her son, he couldn't eat her food. He'd tried conjuring something, anything, but failed. He remembered possibly hearing conjuring food was impossible in one of his classes, but he thought he'd give it a go anyway.

That beside the point, as much as he tried to convince himself otherwise, he was _hungry. _Painfully so. He decided he needed to focus on finding a way out rather than another prank to pull. He returned to looking around his room and snatched up a maroon bag from the knob of his closet door. He began summoning things to put inside it- clothes, blankets, an extra cloak, an almost empty bag from Zonko's- things he would need when he left, because he was _going _to leave. He couldn't take it there for another day.

Fred surveyed his room, checking that he had everything he was going to want packed. His eyes settled on a gray and yellow hat with strings and tassels that hung over the ears. George's hat. He always had teased him and told him how stupid it looked on him. But right now, it was the most appealing thing in the whole room. He picked it up and shoved it over his tresses of red hair. He clutched the tassels with all his might and felt another batch of hot tears trying to fight their way past the fortress of his eyelids.

"Hey, faggot!" someone's voice echoed up the stairs. Fred cringed. "Mum wants you to come down and clean up from dinner!"

The voice was Ron's. Of course she did. She might not let him eat, but she was sure treating him like a slave. He fleetingly thought he knew how it felt to be Harry and live with his relatives. He took the hat by the ball of strings that sat on the top and pulled it off his head, throwing it on to the top of his bag and leaving his room.

When he got into the kitchen, the smells of dinner still clung onto the air. It smelled like chicken and mashed potatoes with cheese inside them. Fred closed his eyes, all this not eating was starting to make him dizzy. He sighed and opened his eyes again, turning on the water and pouring soap into the sink. Of course he wasn't allowed to clean with magic. No, it couldn't be that easy. He had scrubbed each plate clean and was stacking them back in the cupboard when his father entered the room. Fred swallowed and continued what he was doing, ignoring his presence.

"Hey, Fred?"

"What do you want me to do now? I've just cleaned the whole kitchen. There isn't anything else for me to do."

"No, I wasn't going to ask you to do anything." Arthur said almost awkwardly.

"What do you want then?"

"Um. Are you okay, Fred?" He asked lamely. This had gone much better in his head.

"Oh, I'm just peachy." Fred said nastily, those threatening tears again brimming close to the surface. "You've just separated me from someone I've been with my whole entire life. I'm fine, better than ever, thanks."

"I didn't do that, Fred." He stated. "I don't support your mother's decision, but-"

"But you're too scared to confront her about it, because secretly you're disgusted too. You're just trying to be the good guy, because it wasn't your express decision." Fred cut me off. "Well, it's not working too well, is it?"

"Fred no, I-"

"You what? I don't see you trying get me out of here. I don't see you trying to get me George back." Tears were now spilling unmercifully. Arthur started talking again, but Fred had finally put the last plate in its place. He slammed the door to the cupboard and stormed upstairs, leaving his father standing dumbstruck in the middle of the kitchen.

"Well, that didn't go terribly well, did it?" He heard Sirius's voice come from behind him out of the large fireplace.

"Uh, not exactly."

"Just let the boy go! You can't keep him there under his will. I know you, you don't want to."

"Well, I don't. But Molly…"

"Well, who cares about Molly! Be your own man, Arthur!" Sirius said, the flames licking over his nose.

"I don't want to get her angry…" Arthur trailed off.

"You need to stop being such a pushover. I was just flooing to tell you that I will be coming to take Fred off your hands tonight, whether you want me to or not. I thought I would be a gentlemen and give you some warning. But, I for one hate seeing your boy so upset, George doesn't know I know, but he's cried himself to sleep every night since he's been here."

"Fred too…Wait, George is there?"

"I'm sorry, I seem to have disclosed too much information." Sirius grinned. "And I believe I hear Remus returning, so I will have to let you go. I will see you later. Happy Holidays!"

The fire made a terrible wooshing sound and Sirius was gone. For the second time that night, Arthur Weasley stood agape in his own kitchen.

---

Fred was pacing his room. It needed to get darker faster. He couldn't leave if it was still light out. He knew his mother placed charms on all the exits of the house, and knew it was going to hurt like hell when he tried to leave, but anything was better than being held captive in this shithole any longer. He was once again wearing George's hat and fiddled with the tassels as he walked. The sun was slowly descending behind the line of horizon, off to shed its light on somewhere else in the world. It was getting close to being dark enough to make his escape, now all he had to do was wait until he knew both of his parents were in bed.

In about an hour, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs and saw the light in the hall click off from the crack under his door. He pulled on his cloak and shouldered his bag, waiting for fifteen more minutes before finally exiting his room. He carefully walked down the hallway, thankful this wasn't the first time he'd snuck around after dark and therefore knew what sections of floor were too squeaky to step on. After successfully making it down the entire flight of stairs, without falling once, he slung the other strap of the bag over his other shoulder and took a deep breath, both hands on the doorknob.

He threw it open and was barely out on the porch when it slammed behind him, his hand still clutching on the inside doorknob. His arm wrenched into an impossible angle, and he heard a bone pop. He grimaced and yelled kicking at the door. It opened a fraction and he pulled his arm out, only to have it close in his face once more. He was breathing hard and cradling his arm to his chest. It was bleeding and he was almost sure it was broken. That was definitely going to put a damper on his journey.

But, he still wasn't in the clear. As he walked down the front steps, he stopped short as the air itself seemed to surge with an electrical current. He closed his involuntarily teary eyes and braced himself, preparing to continue.

Fred had never been struck by lightening, but this is what he imagined it would feel like. Every single inch of his body stung, it felt like his skin was being burnt off. His hair was standing on end, and he couldn't see straight anymore. His vision was too blurred by pain and tears. And still, on he went. He couldn't quit now. He was almost to the end, there couldn't be anything after this, could there? Fred couldn't imagine even Crucio hurting this badly. He breathed in shakily, his lungs wouldn't fill. He couldn't breath. He was going to suffocate in this fortress of white hot pain, and he was never going to see George again, never get to kiss him one last time, never get to say goodbye. He held onto this thought and pushed himself through the rest of the charm his mother had put on the perimeter of the house.

In a sudden moment, all the pain lost its intensity. The ghost of it was still there, leaving him aching and unable to rise from his knees, but there was no new pain to accompany the old pain. He had made it. He was free. He just needed to find the strength to get up and get away from here before they could catch him and lock him back in again. He forced himself to rise. He walked two steps before crashing to the ground again, coughing and crying. He felt so weak, so vulnerable. He hated himself right now more than he ever had.

"Fred?" someone called to him. No, _no. _They'd found him. After all he did, he'd be forced back inside and the charms would be strengthened and he'd never ever be able to get out. He sobbed dryly. "Hey, hey, Fred. Are you alright?"

Fred tried to open his eyes to get a look at who was talking to him, it didn't sound like another Weasley. His vision was still blurred, but he could pick out an outline of a face. Pale, eyes sunken slightly, a mop of tangled curly dark hair falling around his cheekbones. "Sir..Sirius?"

"Yes, Fred, it's me." And Fred launched himself forward childishly and clung to Sirius with his good arm.

"It's okay now, whatever just happened, it's over. I'm taking you home with me." Sirius declared.

"You'll take me to George?"

"Yes, of course." Sirius said as he scooped Fred up into his arms.

" 'kay." Fred said quietly, Sirius could tell he was barely clinging to consciousness. He shook his head angrily and looked back toward the front door of the Weasley's house. He saw two people, Molly looking smug and Arthur standing there, his eyes wide.

"Look what she's done to your son, Arthur!" Sirius called. "Don't be a pushover anymore!" He leaned closer to Fred and whispered they were going to Apparate, so hang on. Fred nodded and Sirius took one last disgusted glance at the house before turning on his heel and disappearing with a distinct pop.

**Well! **I really hope you enjoyed that, please tell me if you did, or didn't for that matter. That took me FOREVERRR to write, so I hope it's satisfactory. And you know what the ending means?!?! A definite Fred and George reunion in the next chapter! :D


	10. Chapter 10

**You all should really just hate me by now. It takes me far, far, **_**far **_**too long to post again. I'm truly sorry, I really really am. But it's so hard to post when it isn't perfect yet. I'm too crazed about that. Not that this is perfect, it probably isn't, but anyhow, on with the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: **No matter how hard I try I am never going to come even remotely close to owning any of this. Ever.

Sirius appeared in front of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place with a barely conscious Weasley in his arms. Angrily, he paced in front of the entrance, willing the door to open to let him and Fred inside. He still couldn't wrap his mind around what the Weasleys had done to their sons and how much torture they had put both of them through. It completely blew his mind. His parents weren't angels, that's for sure, but they had never gone to an extent like this. He was enraged at Molly and Arthur. He couldn't understand it even if he tried.

"Hey, Fred, you holding up?" Sirius asked quietly as they stepped over the threshold. He felt Fred nod against him.

"Yeah, you know, you could probably put me down now." Fred said, without any real conviction, a tone underlying his voice conveying he meant the exact opposite, his grip tightening on Sirius.

"I will, once we get upstairs. I think there's someone there who will want to see you."

"George?" He whispered. Sirius smiled and nodded, walking up the creaky flight of stairs leading to the room where George was staying. He knew it was quite late and that George was probably asleep, but he knew the boy would want to be awoken for this.

Gently, Sirius set Fred on his feet, keeping a firm hand around his waist to keep him from falling. With his other hand, he knocked three times on the wooden door. A sniffling sound greeted the knock, followed by the rustling sounds of blankets being removed. Feet were heard shuffling across the floor and the doorknob clicked as George turned the handle. Fred watched as the door opened in what seemed to be an agonizingly slow movement. When it was opened all the way, he could have been looking into a mirror aside from the difference in clothing and the slightly tousled nature of his brother's hair. George's eyes opened wide and shone with tears.

"Freddie?" He opened his arms.

"Georgie." He fell into his brother's arms.

Tears fell from George's eyes, his was finally reunited with his brother. He never thought this would happen. His arms tightened over his brother's familiar shoulder blades, rubbing down his spine and feeling a shiver cascade down his own. Fred's face was buried in the crook of George's neck, breathing heavily into it. He missed his brother's smell. George snaked his hand under his brother's chin and lifted his face to his own, lips tenderly touching. Fred's lips were hot and chapped and felt like sheer bliss to George. Sirius smiled and stepped back into the hall before walking catching George's eye and walking back down the stairs. Fred felt heat rush into his cheeks and pulled away before George could deepen the embrace. George looked confusedly at Fred.

"What, Forge? What's wrong?" George slid his arms around Fred's waist. He could feel him leaning heavily against them.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so so sorry." Fred mumbled. "I shouldn't have forced you. This was all my fault. And. And I can't lose you again. I just. I can't." He buried his face into George's shoulder again.

"You aren't going to lose me. Ever, ever again. I promise you that." George said, leading Fred inside his room and sitting him down on the edge of the bed.

"But, Sirius, he…"

"He knows. I told him. He's fine with everything. Him and Remus. We're safe here, love." George said. "Now kiss me, damn it."

Fred looked up at his brother and smiled before attacking him with as much force as worn body would allow him. If he thought he missed how his counterpart smelled, oh, it was nothing compared to how much he missed his taste. He couldn't even put a name to it. There was no name, except George. He smiled into the kiss and let George push him back onto the pillows, pecking his lips gently before separating and laying against the pillows as well. He entwined his hand into his brother's.

"God, I missed you Fred."

"I missed you more."

"That's not even possible."

"Sure it is."

"Not hardly. At least you had someone to talk to this whole time."

"What did mum do to you?" George frowned.

"Locked me in my room, basically. Made me do chores. Ginny was the only tolerable one in the whole house. Ron was being a right wanker and Dad didn't do a damn thing about what anyone was doing to me. So, I decided to leave. And mum put up wards all around the house and I had to fight through them." His hand tightened on George's.

"Is that why you look so terrible?" Fred snorted. "You know what I mean. I'm so sorry, Fred. I can't believe she did that to you."

"Shut up. Don't be sorry. This is my fault anyway."

"Stop saying that, because it isn't."

"Whatever." Fred adjusted his position so his head was laying on George's chest, listening to his brother's heart beat.

"You wore my hat?" George said, plucking it off his head by the pompom and mussing his red hair. "I thought you hated that hat."

"I do. Well, I did. It was all I had of you." Fred answered, shrugging his shoulders. "So how did you end up getting here?"

"Mum sent me to The Leaky Cauldron. And I took the Knight Bus from there. I got here, but couldn't get in; I had to wait for someone to come out. It ended up being Remus. And, here I am." George said. "See, you had it much worse than me. I'm sorry."

"Don't start that again. My poor Gred had to sit all night in the cold." He reached back and put his hands around George's neck.

"It wasn't terrible. But it doesn't matter. We are back together now. And that's all that matters right now." George rolled so he was on his side facing Fred, hands around his neck, Fred's on his back. George licked his lips before pressing them against Fred's neck. "I love you." He said into Fred's neck.

"I love you back. So, so much." Fred whispered, knitting his hands into his brother's already knotted hair.

The two of them stayed like that for a while, before falling into the first real night of sleep either of them had had since their separation from each other. When Sirius went to check on them, he saw them entangled in each other's arms, an identical smile on each of their faces. He had made tea for them downstairs, but didn't have the heart to wake them. He smiled and closed the door, letting the pair of them sleep.

**I feel like that was too short for how long it took. Sigh, you all have every right to hate me over this. I am soooo sorry it took so long, and I really hope the next one doesn't take the same. D: But, thanks for reading, and tell me what you think?**


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